Top 10: Legendary Seafaring Explorers

During the Renaissance, European kingdoms focused their attention on expanding their empires and searching for undiscovered lands. Cross-continental trade became a major facet of the European economy, and so a fast route to the wonders that East Asia offered was considered very valuable.

Later on in history, the mysteries of the four corners of the Earth enticed many to explore our planet's most remote regions. These desires spawned a wealth of brave adventurers and explorers, gentlemen who overcame fear and a small chance of survival in the name of discovery for their respective countries.

In honor of these history-making masters of the sea, we count down the top 10 explorers, famous for their world-altering discoveries.

Number 10

Amerigo Vespucci

Born in Florence, Italy, Amerigo Vespucci grew up to be a merchant, cartographer and explorer whose actual exploits and discoveries are greatly disputed. In 1499-1500, Vespucci sailed westward from Italy in search of the new territories discovered by Columbus. He landed in present-day Guyana and then sailed south, becoming the first European to explore the Amazon river.

Another voyage to South America, this time under the Portuguese flag, confirmed to Vespucci that he had indeed found a new continent, and not Asia (as Columbus had believed). Historians have cast doubt upon the accounts of two of Vespucci's subsequent voyages due to the fact that two of his most famous letters, New World and The Four Voyages , seem to have been falsified. Nevertheless, his earlier discoveries are meritorious.

Claim to Fame: Vespucci was one of the first to believe that South America was a new continent, and he also influenced the name "America," which was derived from the Latin form of his given name, Amerigo.

Number 9

Juan Ponce de Leon

A friend of Christopher Columbus', Ponce de Leon sailed with him during his second expedition to America. By decree of the Spanish Crown, Ponce de Leon became the first Governor of Puerto Rico and established the first settlement on the Caribbean island.

After Columbus' son Diego claimed Ponce de Leon's gubernatorial title, Juan was given the opportunity to explore the northern Caribbean, and he traveled through Cuba and the Bahamas. Ponce de Leon's story becomes more romanticized after his stop in the Bahamas, as history recounts that he sailed north in search of the Fountain of Youth. Though this search for eternal youth is much debated, there is no debate that when Ponce de Leon landed in Florida in 1513, he became the first European to visit the future USA.

Claim to Fame: True or not, Ponce de Leon is famous for allegedly searching for the Fountain of Youth, in addition to discovering and attempting to colonize Florida.

Number 8

Vasco Nunez de Balboa

Yet another 15th century European conquistador, Spaniard Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed for Hispaniola in 1501 and settled down on the island as a planter after visiting present-day Colombia and Panama. After being driven out of Panama by local tribes, Balboa returned to Spain and developed a town.

However, his rebellious conduct eventually forced him to flee the village and he decided to return to South America. On September 1, 1513, Balboa crossed the isthmus of San Blas and caught sight of an enormous body of water. As he erected a cross and claimed the ocean in the name of Spain, he named the waters Mar del Sur (South Sea).

Claim to Fame: Balboa is recognized as the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. He also colonized a town in Panama which is the oldest existing European settlement in the Americas.